TRAGIC FATE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 30, 5 February 1937, Page 3

TRAGIC FATE.

ELECTRIC SHOCK.

MAN'S BODY FOUND. HANDLED "LIVE" WIRES. ARMS BLUE WITH CURRENT. (By Telegraph.—Ov.n Correspondent.) WHAKATANE, this day. An inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death by electrocution in his father's milking shed, on Wednesday evening, of Peter Archibald John Murray, aged 2.">, of Opouriao, was held by Mr. G. Brabant, district coroner, this afternoon. George Murray, brother of the deceased, said he found his brother "crumpled up" on the floor, and attempted to lift him. He received two shocks, and another shock when he leaned against the wit* netting. He thought this was caused by a piece of conduit piping underneath his brother's body touching the netting. He then turned off the current at the switch. Witness felt his brother's heart, and found that he was dead. Deceased had no electrical certificate, but was studying for one. ■> Jn reply to Mr. F. Haynes, of the Bay of Plenty' Power Board, witness said he had' warned deceased against touching the installation, and had advised leaving it to the board. Held Wires in His Hands. Witness added that his brother was never afraid of electricity, and for the last 12 months "could almost make it talk to him." Witness had seen him hold in each hand wires carrying 230 volts, and with his arms blue with the current. Deceased had not only received the fatal shock but had received hundreds of additional shocks.

Dr. J. C. Wadmore said the injuries were consistent with instantaneous death.

Francis Haynes, inspector for the Power Board, said he had found that the deceased had been doing wiring work unknown to the board, and had installed three lights to an adapter and had connected up with the current in the sl.ed. With the power on he was completing the work when a piece of conduit in his hand became alive, and he teil to the floor. While in a semi-con-scious condition, he had received a fatal shock Danger Pointed Out. Next day witness made a further rxiinmiat'on, from which it appeared that the deceased was attempting to saddle the conduit in a certain position by grasping it near the lamp holder and possibly the other hand was further ii lon jr. 1 lie conduit lamp became broken and the terminals "shorted"' 011 to the lamp cap and made the conduit alive. 1 lie first shock possibly threw the young man to the floor, and the end <>! the lamp holder touched the wire m'tt.-iig and made that "alive" also. It was against the regulations to touch installations without notifying the board and without holding a license. Deceased previously attempted to do wiring work, and witness had pointed out the danger.

The coroner returned a verdict that deceased met his death from electrical shock while 1 king certain connections wnth the lighting system in the milking shed, and added that deceased was not an electrician and should not have attempted the work.